Yarnell fire district to receive firefighter grants

PHOENIX -- A U.S. congressman announced Thursday that the Yarnell fire district will receive a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Congressman Paul Gosar represents Arizona's 4th district, which includes Yarnell, and he strongly advocated for a grant from FEMA.

The grant means the Yarnell fire district will receive resources from the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program, the congressman said in a press release.

"Although we're still mourning the terrible losses suffered during the tragic Yarnell Hill Fire, our community must rebuild. This rebuilding process necessitates recruiting and hiring firefighters who will shoulder this particularly dangerous form of public service and the SAFER Grant program assists in these efforts," Gosar said.

Ben Palm, chief of the Yarnell fire district, expressed his appreciate to both the congressman and the SAFER Grant Committee, adding that the award "will be used to add personnel and equipment to better support the community of Yarnell and the surrounding areas."